by Alexander O. Onukwue

It is the 13th day of the sensational online live fellowship that is the #HallelujahChallenge.

Started as a call to Christians to sing to the Lord and pray for breakthroughs in their lives and for the country, the dimensions it has taken has become multi-faceted and quite extraordinary.

With every passing day, the numbers grow. Individuals are joining from different parts of Nigeria and across the seas, while groups of people are meeting up at midnight and syncing in the praise.

You don’t have to be part of it to understand that people have caught on it like a bug, a positive bug, for a variety of reasons. Can Nigerians ever do something useful on the internet? Yes, they can.

And, for those who are having the experience of a lifetime from this Challenge, through testimonies and a change of direction in their circumstances, they want to see it explode. The geometric progression in live audience has been in thousands so far; now they are calling for it to reach One Billion people.

The only other event in the world that has attracted such an audience for a particular live event is the World Cup Finals, but don’t bet against this one. That Americans are joining in the virtual congregation shows this league of Nathaniel Bassey-inspired worshippers are not here to play.

What would the constraints be to reaching that figure? Data? People whose prayers are answered and then forget to return for thanskgiving? Or those who may cease participating when their MCMs and WCWs fail to join for a day or two? It doesn’t feel like anyone is thinking about restrictions at the moment. There are many more persons joining every day than the number who may not have continued. Think of the many Nigerian youth in campuses whose friends have participated and will get to know of it today, and they will participate and tell other friends.

And then there is the plan for a big concert on the 27th or 28th to bring everyone together within a physical space for a ‘mega-praise’ night. Depending on its location, that may not include the diversity of persons who have been able to join in the online meet. However, it will still see a huge turnout should the plans, though sketchy at the moment, be finished and announced.

But ultimately, it will not be about the numbers. For many, they are just happy to see the incredible show of exuberance for an online matter that does not involve Keeping up with the Kardashians, or Bobrisky, or Big Brother Nigeria. Beyond the boundaries of language and tongue, Nigerians are, as one people, Making the culture of Praising and Praying Great Again, and gradually turning this to “a tribe”.

Editor